The Past
by Ravenus
Summary: Takes place after Clint comes back to the Avengers. Just a small conversation between Clint and Natasha. Mild romance. Rated K . Clint/Natasha. COMPLETE


This takes place when Clint comes back to the Avengers after his fight with Natasha. I will alter what I think is necessary ;) (also I don't remember their exact conversation but you have seen the movie so you don't want to read it over and over again)

Disclaimer: Not mine... blabla

Rated K+

**The Past**

Their fight was over and both their bodies were bruised. Clint struggled against the restraints, his vision blurry. Natasha's gentle voice was so far away, he wanted to get closer. But he was here with her and his mind was his again. That was all that mattered now. He had nearly killed her during their fight, his knife had cut her, he had felt it even through the fog in his brain. After some minutes he was back to normal and in full control of both his mind and body. Natasha opened the restraints and he sat up, taking his head in his hand.

"Gods, this was the worst thing that ever happened to me." The archer realized that he had seen everything that had happened but he hadn't been able to act on his will. Sometime during all this he had wished that someone would kill him to stop this madness in his head. On the other hand that would have upset Natasha. For some reason she cared for him. "How many agents have I…" He wanted to know but Natasha cut her off with a rude gesture.

"Clint, don't do this to yourself."

"Do you know what it feels like when they take your brain out of your head and put something strange inside?"

The red haired woman didn't look at him, her back turned towards him. "Of course." She said and it made Clint look at her more closely. The words had sounded so sad, so depressing that it made his heart stutter in his chest.

"How so? Has Loki…?" The man's voice trailed off. The mere thought made him go crazy.

"No. Just the past." Was Agent Romanoff's answer. Clint knew a lot about her. About her fears – pretty close to zero – her hopes – countless – and the time before she had joined SHIELD – a sad story about a sad assassin – but he knew absolutely nothing about his childhood and youth and perhaps that meant that he knew absolutely nothing about her at all. He cared for her and he wanted to know all about her so he could be there when she needed him.

"Natasha, you hide so much from me." There was more sadness in his voice than he wanted to be there, but at least he got her attention and she turned to him, finally, her eyes wide, emotions setting them on fire like her red hair. Panic, fear, hate, love, loneliness, sorrow, passion… there were so many things to see in her in this very second that it nearly caught Clint off guard. And some of these emotions were so old that they would never be cured. The woman had never talked about her past, he realized, she had never told anyone.

"Yes, there are a lot of things." Was her honest answer. The archer just nodded, nearly let the topic drop but she had to tell someone. He often noticed that Natasha got bitter and he didn't want her to grow older full of regrets. He knew what such a storm inside your soul can do to you and he wouldn't let this happen to Natasha.

"Tell me about your past." He said and she took a step back from him, lowered her head.

"I was a spy when I met you. An assa…" Clint took her chin in his hand and forced her to look into his eyes.

"No, I want to hear something I don't know. Your childhood. Were you happy?" He knew the answer because he could see the emotions in her eyes and all that was left was hate and fear. She never was a child. At least not long enough to grow up as a sane person. Like him. "I want to know more about Natasha Romanoff. The real Natasha." She was puzzled.

"Why?"She wanted to know.

"Because we need you sane, Tasha. And because I care for you." Something in her changed, the archer could see it, like a switch turned on she began to speak, the words pouring from her mouth, the whole story of Natasha Romanoff, every detail, all that had hurt her, all that had disturbed her and all that had made her the woman she was now. There was no happiness in her childhood, she had been a lonely girl and she had learned to fight too early. She spoke and spoke, never stopping, all the while looking into his eyes, a flood of words coming from her full red lips.

In the end Clint stood in front of her, held her in his arms. Natasha did not even know when he had gotten up or embraced her, but it felt so good that he pressed her close to his body as if he could make all evil go away. And perhaps he did, a little. When she was finished she felt empty but still whole again. He could do this to her. He was the one who held her life in his hands: Clint could make her happy and Clint could make her sad because he knew her so well. Loki's words had been right. Clint could shatter her to pieces, with just one word. It made her vulnerable that he was so close to her, but most of all it gave her strength.

The archer kissed the top of her head and drew soothing circles on her back, even if it wasn't necessary as she was fully in control of herself. They stood like this for a long while, Clint holding the woman in his arms and Natasha leaning her forehead against his broad chest.

FIN

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